Critical Care

Emergency Services

When you or a loved one needs emergency care, rest assured that the Emergency Department at Cookeville Regional is ready - staffed and equipped to meet your needs. With emergency room physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses and other specially trained hospital staff on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, we are able to provide emergency care for acutely ill patients of any age. We also have on-call specialists to support our emergency services including surgeons, cardiologists, cardiac surgeons, pulmonary/critical care specialists, obstetricians, neurologists, neurosurgeons as well as a number of other specialists.

Patients coming to the Emergency Room will be triaged by a member of the nursing staff. Triaging is a process that helps us rapidly and safely determine which patients will need to be seen first and which ones may safely wait for care. Patients with conditions considered to be the most serious will be seen first although it is our goal to get each patient seen and treated as quickly as possible.

You may have two family members with you at a time while in the Emergency Room. There are occasions when we may ask your family members to remain in the ER Waiting Room to allow us to give you more care or for your privacy. At any time that your family members have questions or are anxious about you they should feel free to ask our staff about you. We are here to serve you and wish to make your visit with us as pleasant as possible.

ER Patient Advocate - 931-783-2313

Intensive Care

Located in the new North Patient Tower, the Intensive Care Unit at Cookeville Regional is a modern, state-of-the-art 30-bed unit equipped with the latest technology. The collaborative efforts of our physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, laboratory and imaging staff as well as environmental services staff enable us to maintain a high standard of care and service for our critically ill patients.

The new unit has a space design allowing nurses to stay at the patient’s bedside. A mini nurses’ station is located between every two beds with full visibility of the assigned patients. There are computers at each station where nurses have immediate access to lab results, imaging data and drug information through a specialized order-entry and data retrieval program. These computers also offer a clinical results program so physicians have quick access up-to-date patient information while they make rounds in the unit. The unit also benefits from automated dispensing of medications so as to prevent delayed delivery of urgently required drugs.

Each patient's family becomes part of our plan of care. Two overnight Family Rooms, a Family Lounge and seven Family Respite Areas are available so families who need to be near critically ill or injured loved ones have a comfortable and private environment. Every effort has been made to ensure the comfort of the families during these difficult times. Large waiting areas with a shared family kitchen area help ease the difficulties experienced in being away from home.

VISITING HOURS*

One support person of the patient’s choice will be allowed to remain with the patient 24 hours a day to provide emotional and social support. Two additional visitors may visit during the posted visiting hours. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to visit the patient’s room. Additional visitors may remain in the ICU waiting room.

All visitors to the patient’s room will check in at the nurses’ station and receive a visitor badge that is to be worn during the visit to the patient.

As always, visitation may be revised at the nurses’ discretion and may need to be adjusted based on patient condition and/or extenuating circumstances.

The hours of visitation* are as follows:

Open Visiting Hours:

7:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Check-in at nurses’ station required

*Visitors limited to 3 people during open visiting hours.

*One visitor allowed during closed hours.

*No children under 12 years of age

*Per nurse discretion

Fresh flowers are not permitted in ICU patient rooms.

ICU Waiting Room - 931-783-5650

Cardiovascular Intensive Care

The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) is a 12-bed unit for patients recovering from heart, lung and vascular surgeries. The collaborative efforts of our physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, laboratory and imaging staff as well as environmental services staff enable us to maintain a high standard of care and service for our critically ill patients.

While in the CVICU, our staff encourages the participation of those who are important to the patient during his or her recovery.

Patient Progress
Our surgeons usually make very early morning rounds, allowing them to start their scheduled surgeries for the day. Thus, they rely on our staff to keep the family members updated on the patient’s condition, progress, and plan of care for the day while in CVICU.

After Heart Surgery
CVICU is considered the “Recovery Room” immediately after heart surgery. During this time we stabilize and attempt to remove the patient’s breathing tube prior to family visits.

The family members’ first visit may be from 1 to 3 hours after the patient arrives in CVICU. Our staff will keep you updated during this time and we appreciate your patience. Also, the status of other patients in the CVICU may sometimes alter visitation times.

Expect to see several tubes, several bags of fluid hanging on a pole, a bandage wrap around a wrist, and several wires connected to the patient. Also, you can expect to see a fair amount of puffiness and paleness. This is all normal and usually improves within 24 hours.

After Lung Surgery
Patients that have had lung surgery may or may not require a breathing tube while in CVICU. Expect to see drainage tubes, bags of fluid on a pole, and wires connected to the patient.

After Vascular Surgery
(Carotid, Leg Surgery, Aneurysm)
You can expect different things depending on the type of surgery performed. These patients generally require less invasive monitoring equipment. Expect to see small drains, bags of fluid, a bandage wrap around on wrist, and wires connected to the patient.

Patients that have had abdominal surgery (e.g. aneurysm) require somewhat more monitoring equipment, similar to the heart surgery patient.

You can expect to see several bags of fluid hanging on a pole, a bandage wrap around on wrist, and several wires connected to the patient. Also, expect to see a fair amount of puffiness and paleness. This usually improves within 24 hours.

It can be overwhelming the first time you visit. So, please feel free to ask the nurse to explain what you see, the progress of recovery, and the plan of care for the day. The more you know, the less apprehensive the next visit will be for you.

The Mended Hearts Support Group
Some of our volunteers in the CVICU waiting area are members of the Mended Hearts Support Group. While in the hospital you may receive a visit from a member of the Mended Hearts visitation team. Members of the visitation team visit heart patients and family members. Some have had heart surgery and some have had heart attacks or other heart conditions.

The purpose of this group is to give you support and help you to understand that you can live a productive life with heart disease. Our staff greatly appreciates Mended Hearts members. Sometimes it is more meaningful to talk with someone who has experienced a situation similar to your own in order to better understand the fears and thoughts that you may have.

One support person of the patient’s choice will be allowed to remain with the patient 24 hours a day to provide emotional and social support. Two additional visitors may visit during the posted visiting hours. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted to visit the patient’s room. Additional visitors may remain in the CVICU waiting room.

7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

*Per nurse discretion

*Visitors will be limited to 3 people.

*No children under 12 years of age.

Please be aware that visitation may need to be adjusted based on patient condition.

We will do our very best to accommodate visitation but the patient’s care must take priority.

Families are welcome to stay in the CVICU Waiting Room between visiting hours.

Fresh flowers are not allowed in patient rooms in the CVICU.

CVICU Waiting Room - 931-783-6305

Staff

Staff Specialists
CRMC’s ICU and CVICU have a clinical coordinator on each shift. These RNs serve as resource for other staff, assisting with tasks from patient admissions to actual procedures. They also work with our physician intensivists to make triage decisions so we ensure appropriate levels of care for our patients. A dedicated critical care nurse educator plans and presents ongoing education needed to keep staff current on new technology and methods of care delivery.

Staff Teamwork
For both the ICU and the CVICU, it is the collaborative efforts of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, dietitians, laboratory and imaging staff, and environmental services that enable us to maintain a high standard of care and service for our critically ill patients.